What exactly is a PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

Technically, the PocketFinder® Personal Locator is a wireless device that monitors signals from the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) network, calculates its position, and transmits that information to the PocketFinder® Network via the world’s largest wireless global cellular network. What that means is that the PocketFinder® Personal Locator takes cues from the GPS network to figure out where it is, and then sends that information to the PocketFinder® Network, which is part of the largest wireless network in the world. Once you register your PocketFinder® Locator online, you can go to www.pocketfinder.com at anytime to locate the device.

Why do I have to activate my PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

When you register your PocketFinder® Personal Locator online at www.pocketfinder.com it will become part of our online database and allow the PocketFinder® Network to compare GPS information from your PocketFinder® Personal Locator to the settings in your Personal Profile, such as your Alert Areas. Registering is quick and easy! All you have to do is go to www.pocketfinder.com, click on the “Activate Now” button, follow a few simple steps, and you will have a fully functioning, easy-to-use PocketFinder® Personal Locator!

How do I look up my PocketFinder® product Locator’s location?

Looking up the PocketFinder® Personal Locator’s location is easy enough for any user and convenient enough to do from almost anywhere! You can look up the unit’s location at www.pocketfinder.com from your computer or at mobile.pocketfinder.com from a Internet-enabled mobile device, such as a cellular phone or PDA. And if you want to look up your unit’s location but don’t have Internet access, don’t worry. You can call (714) 795-5252 and locate your device with a phone call!

How does the PocketFinder® Network know when to notify me?

When you activate your PocketFinder® Personal Locator at www.pocketfinder.com, you will register your device and decide how you want to be notified. You can link it to your email, cellular phone or regular telephone. You will then be prompted to create optional Alert Areas. You will be notified when your device enters or exits the area designated depending upon your selection. The PocketFinder® Network regularly updates GPS data from the PocketFinder® Personal Locator and compares it to the Alert Areas you set up at www.pocketfinder.com. If your Personal Locator enters an Alert Area, the PocketFinder® Network will notify you via the contact method that you set up on your Account Profile (email, cellular phone, text message, or telephone).

How will the PocketFinder® Network alert me when needed?

The PocketFinder® Network is designed to contact you when your registered PocketFinder® Personal Locator goes out of its personalized pre-set Areas. Because the PocketFinder® Network is part of the world’s largest wireless network, it works almost everywhere and can contact you via the method of your choice. You can choose what is most convenient to you: cellular phone, land line, email, or text message.

What happens if you can’t reach me using my primary contact method? How does it know if I received a message successfully?

Anytime that the PocketFinder® Network sends an alert, no matter which contact method it uses, it requires that you acknowledge you have received the alert. This can mean simply answering the phone call you receive on your regular telephone or mobile telephone, or a quick response via text message or email. If the PocketFinder® Network sends you an alert but does not receive a confirmation of receipt, it will contact you via another contact method or try to reach other contacts you have listed on your PocketFinder® Profile. Even if you are busy or not available, the PocketFinder® Network will keep working to give you important information about the location of your PocketFinder® Personal Locator.

Do I have to set up Area Alerts and a Home Zone in order for my PocketFinder® Personal Locator to work?

As soon as you activate your PocketFinder® Personal Locator at www.pocketfinder.com, the unit will begin to send GPS information to the PocketFinder® Network and you will be able to look up its location. However, if you do want to receive any automated alerts, you do have to set up your own personal Alert Areas in order for the PocketFinder® Network to know when you want to be notified. Don’t worry, setting up your personal Zones is just as easy as activating the unit. Click here for an easy walk-thru.

What is the Contact List in my PocketFinder® Profile?

Your PocketFinder® Profile allows you to create a Contact List that will tell the PocketFinder® Network how you want to be contacted, as well as where you can list other people you would like the PocketFinder® Network to contact if you are busy or unavailable. It is just like an emergency card that you fill out for your children at school!

Do I have to set up a Contact List when I set up my PocketFinder® Profile?

Yes. Even if you don’t use Alert Areas, we still want to be able to contact you if your battery starts to run low.

Does the PocketFinder® Personal Locator really work everywhere in the United States?

The PocketFinder® Personal Locator works through the world’s largest wireless network, so it does work in all 50 states (with limited coverage in Alaska). But just like a cellular phone, there are still some areas that are not yet covered. Only very remote places are not yet covered, and the coverage area is constantly growing. You can click here to see if your area is covered.

How accurately can I locate my PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

Thanks to cutting-edge GPS technology and the world’s largest wireless network, in most cases you can locate your PocketFinder® Personal Locator to within a 30-foot radius of its physical location.

Does it matter how far away I am from my PocketFinder® when I look up its location? Will I still be able to look up the location’s device if I travel outside my city or state?

Because PocketFinder® works through the world’s largest wireless network, it works across almost all of the United States. You can look up your PocketFinder® Personal Locator’s location no matter where it travels within the coverage zone. If the unit does enter an area that is not currently covered, you will not be able to look up its location, but when it re-enters the coverage zone, the PocketFinder® Network will be able to show you a history of the device’s locations that can be looked up online at www.pocketfinder.com.

How does a PocketFinder® Personal Locator find out how fast it is moving?

The PocketFinder® Network simply measures how far the unit travels between two locations and uses some standard calculations to figure out the speed and direction of the unit.

How accurate are the speed calculations?

The speed and direction calculations that you look up at www.pocketfinder.com are typically very accurate. Occasionally though, environmental and system factors may be involved that may skew the accuracy slightly.

Will other people be able to tell if I am carrying a PocketFinder® device?

The beauty of the PocketFinder® Personal Locator’s design is that it is totally inconspicuous. The device is the size of an Oreo™ cookie, so it can fit almost anywhere. Plus, with no buttons or lights and no sounds, no one has to know if you or a loved one is carrying it. Different cases are available to further camouflage it or to make it more fun for kids and teenagers.

Will the PocketFinder® Personal Locator interrupt a classroom or workplace environment?

Not at all! The PocketFinder® Personal Locator is small (about the same size as an Oreo™ Cookie) and inconspicuous. There are no lights and the unit doesn’t make any sound, so it won’t bother anybody in a classroom or office.

Will the PocketFinder® Personal Locator stand up to my kid/car/pet/mom?

The PocketFinder® Personal Locator was designed to withstand almost any kind of abuse. You can rest assured that no matter who carries it, the PocketFinder® Personal Locator will work properly. The entire unit is completely sealed so it is both waterproof and shockproof. It is designed to work in extremely hot or cold conditions. Don’t worry about leaving it in a car on a hot day or taking it with you on a ski trip. The PocketFinder® Personal Locator is built to stand up to all of the everyday abuse that you can throw at it.

Can the PocketFinder® Personal Locator be dangerous to whoever carries it? Does it emit any waves that may be hazardous to my child?

The PocketFinder® Personal Locator is safe enough for anyone to carry it day after day. It uses the same kind of technology as a mobile phone or mobile GPS device. This type of product has been thoroughly studied and proven safe time and time again.

How can I keep my child from losing his or her PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

The PocketFinder® Personal Locator attaches easily to a key ring, belt loop, purse or backpack. Attach it to your child’s clothing and you won’t have to worry about him or her setting it down or letting it fall out of a pocket. Of course, if you do misplace a PocketFinder®, you can simply pull up its location anytime and go get it!

Do I have to sign up for a long-term contract to use my PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

No! PocketFinder® offers month to month service plans as well as multi-month payment options. Find out more about which plan fits you the best at www.pocketfinder.com. It is important to note though that an activation fee will be charged by the carrier to reactivate your device once your service is broken.

Do I have to sign up for a separate wireless contract for the GPS service to work on my PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

No! The folks at PocketFinder® hate extra fees and complicated bills just as much as you do. Everything is included in your single monthly service fee, including GPS coverage and service with the world’s largest wireless network. And remember, no matter which service plan you choose, PocketFinder® offers the lowest monthly service fees in the industry!

Can the PocketFinder® Personal Locator be turned off so that I can’t locate it?

As long as your PocketFinder® Personal Locator has battery power left, you will be able to locate it anytime. There are no buttons on the unit, so it can’t be accidentally turned off.

How do I monitor the battery level of my PocketFinder® Personal Locator?

With up to a seven (7) day battery life, you don’t have to worry about your PocketFinder® Personal Locator losing power too quickly. If you ever want to check the battery level, you can view it online at www.pocketfinder.com. To make things even more convenient for you, you can also request that the PocketFinder® Network send you a reminder via the contact method of your choice (email, phone call, text message or email) when your battery starts to run low. Remember that just like a cell phone, the more your device is used the sooner you will have to recharge it.